By Alexis Romero
MANILA, Philippines - Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo yesterday dismissed the complaint filed against President Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC) as mere “black propaganda.”
Panelo said that “apparently, the intention” is to hit Duterte with “black propaganda… hoping that media worldwide would catch on and paint the President as a murderer when in fact, he’s only doing his constitutional duty to protect and preserve this country. It will fail in making the people believe in the validity of the charge.”
Malacañang also claimed that the ICC complaint was meant to “shame” Duterte as the Philippines hosts the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit this week.
“The timing of the filing of the case is suspect – apparently meant to create negative news in the midst of the Philippines' ASEAN (hosting),” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a statement.
“The intent of this filing in ICC is clearly to embarrass and shame the President, and undermine the duly constituted government of the Philippines,” he added.
The lawyer of self-confessed hit man Edgar Matobato has asked the ICC to hold Duterte and other officials accountable for “crimes against humanity” that stemmed from the government’s war on drugs.
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